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Thatcher... and so it Begins

By Cheryl S. Birch

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Chapter One
New Birth

“Chain her! Did you not hear me you useless, incompetent oafs? Chain her, I said!”
Rage twisted and distorted Faelor’s already hideous face. His blackened finger and filthy talon pressed into the pinkening flesh of the new babe. Greenish gray spittle ran down his chin. It sprayed from his mouth, spattering the child as he screeched out orders. His eyes narrowed to slits without a glint of life except a pulsating round red glow.
The baby cried out at his touch. Her face scrunched up and reddened. “Oh good,” he said, followed by a cackle. “Cry out, you worthless pink thing! Here’s some fear to go with the jabbing.” As captain of the Familiars, he reserved for himself the sadistic pleasure of terrifying newborns. Globs of horror seeped out of one of his robe pockets. He grabbed a chunk and smeared it all over the tiny girl. She had no defense. High pitched wails were the only way she could express her encounter with fear.
Exhausted, the first-time mother had fallen unconscious. The birth had been difficult, and though she now slept fitfully, she didn’t hear her daughter’s screams. Despite the soothing words and tender attention of the two midwives with her, the infant did not calm.
“Sounds like she’s in pain to me,” said Neleh, the older midwife nurse. Her young counterpart, Rose, gave a nod. They performed a physical to check for issues that could cause such acute discomfort. Worry-eyed, they looked at each other.
“Do you think she is ill or dying?” asked Rose. “It would be awful for her mother to awaken to that kind of news.”
Though the baby cried out again and again and showed some signs of respiratory difficulty, they determined it was best not to disturb the mom. Neleh patted Rose’s arm to encourage her. “Let’s hold out hope this will pass.”
They checked over their small patient once more, working in earnest to bring her comfort and perhaps save her life. “I’ve examined this little one from her scalp to her toes. I can’t find any obvious source for distress, can you?” asked Rose.
Neleh shook her head no. “If she doesn’t improve in a few minutes, we will need to rush her to Doc Nesnej.” Her voice wavered, she shivered, and looked around the room. “Something is going on here...” Turning around, she faced the end of the bed. “Puzzling ...the room feels cold and ...eerie.”
~*~
“They know we’re here,” said a Familiar who was new to the troop. “She’s focused on me. She can see me!” Ducked down, he flattened himself to the floor.
“You are too stupid to be on my team,” said the captain. “All these women understand is that pathetic kid is squawking, and they haven’t any idea why. Ignore them and get back to work!”
“But sir, she bears the mark. Look at her shield. She’s one of them!” The Familiar wouldn’t get up.
Captain Faelor reached down and snatched the worker by his neck, pulling him up until their noses bumped. “Listen, you fool. She may be one of the Faithful, but she can’t see us! Sure, she senses something, and that is all. Occasionally, she causes problems, but not today.” He shook the Familiar hard to stress his point.
“The baby saw us! I think she even hears us. Maybe that woman can too?”
“Geez you’re dense! Have you been living under a rock? Years of dealing with them I have discovered half of the Faithful don’t even think we exist, and most of the rest don’t realize their own powers. Besides, the other one won’t sense us at all if we do our job as planned. Humans are clueless as long as we are subtle. Forget about those women and get to work!” The captain dropped him. He landed with a thud.
“What about the baby? She’s human.”
“You are one inch from being ripped to shreds, you insubordinate dolt! Of course, the kid sees and hears us, but not these women. In the last two thousand years, didn’t anybody teach you about birthing duties?”
“I’ve never been on birthing duty. Never been inconspicuous either. Always had to make a lot of noise. I was on a graveyard and haunting detail before this, sir.”
“The graveyard?” Skepticism defined the captain’s face. “At least you’re knowledgeable about death. Still, I don’t know if I should toss you out of a window or train you in our troop’s ways.”
“I excel at being creepy, sir,” said the Familiar. He prepared for the worst beating of his existence, but his captain let out a maniacal laugh instead.
“Creepy? That’s a good one!” Leaning toward the cowering Familiar, he said, “Maybe I can use that. So, pay attention. I am only telling you about our work this one time. Screw up again, and you are dog meat, understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Pushing himself into the blanket which hung from the bed, the Familiar used it for protection from Faelor’s threatening fist.
“The disgusting innocent thing just got here from the Light. All souls come from the Light. They are created by the Glorious One and birthed here on earth. You grasp that much, right?”
“Yes, I knew that, sir.”
“We let them know about the dark. Fear is the first thing we give them, then the familial chains of bondage.” He stopped and studied the Familiar to make sure his words penetrated. Convinced his underling understood, he continued. “Coming from the Light only an hour ago, she still has abilities. Some kids do, some kids don’t. In time, the ones who do see and hear us lose the ability. They think we are their own thoughts or if they do sense something, they think we are their imagination, fairies, spirits, or gods.” Bending over, he reached out and took hold of the front of the nodding Familiar’s tunic. “Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Now, pick up those shackles and get moving!” The bellowing captain strutted to the other end of the bed. He stared at his workers with disdain. Fumes of anger surrounded him. In response, his squad hustled around the room, making sure they gathered up every designated chain. With purpose, they avoided eye contact with him. None of them ever wanted his angry eyes to fix upon them. His stare was too gruesome to ponder, even for this malevolent crew.
Once they were ready to bind the child, they carried the heavy fetters to the place of new birth. As instructed by their captain, they crisscrossed the chains over the babe’s heart and secured them with a padlock. When the first cold black links crossed her heart, the baby’s face instantly turned purple, and her cries became violent. Gasping because of the added heaviness of the bindings, she fought for air between screams. Waving her arms, she clenched her hands into fists so rigid they turned white. The invisible bonds touched not her flesh but deep in her soul.
The captain reached inside his ragged grimy cape for the documentation regarding this new human being. Rooting around proved futile. He couldn’t find what he wanted because dozens of scrolls, both from past and pending assignments, jammed his pockets.
Pronouncement of curses, disease, poverty, and death as per the ancient laws always took place immediately after birth. It was mandatory procedure instituted by the Prince of Darkness. Failure to complete the condemning ceremony was unthinkable. He had to find the scroll.
Searching again, he swayed back and forth, frantic and fuming. Floorboards creaked under the weight of his bile-colored, large scaly feet. Exasperated, he fumbled through folds of filth-crusted fabric. Dust and grime of the ages puffed up in clouds around him while he wrestled with his cape. His efforts produced nothing. Tight-fisted, he pummeled the bed and shrieked, “The scroll is missing!” Nasty smelling vapors of surly agitation and rivers of vulgarity poured off him, fouling the air. His face transformed from its usual pale green to a chartreuse, and his eyes became red-hot coals. After kicking the bed frame as hard as he could, he went back to furiously digging in his pocket for the document. Still not finding it, he erupted into a tantrum, ripping and tearing at his own clothing.
At first outburst, the Familiars scattered and hid in the gloomy corners of the room or under a piece of furniture. Three found sanctuary beneath the bed. From their hiding places, they peered at their captain with lifeless black eyes. “So much for being subtle,” muttered the new Familiar.
~*~
“Did you feel that?” asked Neleh.
“Feel what?” responded Rose.
“The floor moved a minute ago, and the bed seemed to vibrate. Now it’s colder and damp in here.”
Rose offered to close the window against the chill, but upon standing by it, she found no need. “The sun is still up. What a wonderful warm day! And the evening breeze is delightful. I don’t know why it’s cold in here.” “Hmmm, I think I do,” said Neleh. “I experienced this once before.” She told Rose to place an extra coverlet over the child. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shook off the shivers.
When Rose returned to the bedstead to take care of the baby, she walked to the window. It was a beautiful day just as her partner had told her. Sunshine caught the silver streaks in her hair and lit up her countenance. She was nearing forty but hardly a wrinkle had invaded her complexion. Bright and clear, her green eyes sparkled. She looked to the sky. “Please dispatch helpers to us from your transcendent Kingdom, Glorious One. For the well-being of this child, we need your assistance.”
~*~
Busy hunting for the scroll, Captain Faelor didn’t notice his troop had disappeared. Head buried in his cloak, he swore into the lining and kicked at the bed a couple more times. Then the Light stung him, and a preternatural baritone voice nearly knocked him over.
“Leave now, captain!” said Zadik, the child’s Guardian. His command echoed throughout the room. “The familial chains are in place. You have no additional business here.” One of the Guardian’s hands rested on the little girl’s head; the other held a blazing sword. After sheathing his blade, he wiped away the choking fear and lifted the onerous chains. Joining with the mother’s Guardian, he spread out his wings to create a canopy the Familiars could not penetrate. Though the child’s hands were still braced, and she didn’t stop crying, she calmed enough that her face and fingers became a healthy color.
Squinty-eyed, the captain scowled at Zadik. Though pricks and stings from the presence of a Guardian of Light were uncomfortable, he didn’t back down. Over hundreds of years of encounters with them, he had learned how to endure the discomfort and fight back when needed.
“I have a right to curse this child! You have no authority to stop me,” he said while he dug into his robe and vest to find the proof.
~*~
Rose noticed the positive change in the baby and looked toward her colleague with a smile, but Neleh’s back was turned. Still facing the window, she looked up at the azure sky. Concern etched her face. Eyes fixed on the Golden Cloud, which always hovered over the eastern mountains, she spoke again to the Glorious One. “Glorious One of Splendor, maker of all, who dwells in the Serene City, I lift this infant to you with my heart and my words. I sense something unsavory and dangerous trying to harm her. Though I cannot see it, I am sure something wicked is present in this house. Be her protector and keep her safe. She is unable to ask for herself, and her parents do not understand the need to ask for her. Please send Guardians to battle on her behalf.” She bowed her head for a moment and went back to work helping Rose with the child and her mother.
~*~
“Ack!” said the captain. “I hate that blasted woman!” He ran for cover. Before he could hide, an orb of glory crashed across his thorny skull-like head. Diving under the bed, he shoved the three Familiars aside who were concealed there. It took all their strength to stay put and not slide out into the Light.
Their captain cowered in the darkest shadows next to the wall. His head smarted something fierce. The orb had hit its target hard. Grimacing, he used his first two fingers to gently rub the bump it had made. Vibrant beams of mercy permeated the room. When it disturbed their hideaway, Faelor and his Familiars coiled up, covering their faces with their capes. Any light pierced their dead eyes. This Light seared their skin and caused excruciating pain.
Out of the radiance appeared shining gossamer drenched wings. Reinforcements arrived from the Golden Cloud and linked with Zadik and the other Guardians in the room. Defenders of the weak and servants to all human beings, they covered the nurses, mother, and infant to shelter them from the ruthless plans of the fiendish creatures.
~*~
Rose sang quietly to her charge. It soothed her nerves, and she hoped it would assure the child. Miraculously, the infant stopped crying and cooed in contentment. “The crisis seems to have passed,” she said.
Relieved, Neleh peeked at the baby and said to her, “Let’s examine your mom.” She took the mother’s pulse and monitored her breathing. Both had been rapid. “Everything normal. How peacefully she sleeps now.” Satisfied all was well, she looked around the room. “Come on, Rose. We better finish getting things in order. She will be waking up any time.”
~*~
“By what right do you remain here?” A towering Guardian directed the question to the captain. Ignoring him, Faelor and his Familiars sunk further into any black crevasses they could find. Curled up and hidden, they had no intention to answer or expose themselves. Only the red glimmer of the captain’s eyes could be seen if one looked directly under the bed.
“I know you are under there, Captain Faelor,” said the glowing being. “I come in the name of the Glorious One and his son Iam, the Great Judge. Answer me now!”
Though he dreaded the sting from the increased intensity of the Light, the captain knew he must answer a question from the Glorious One and Iam. Like children might, he and his shaking fearful cohorts peeked out. “You know very well this family does not serve the Glorious One. Thus, we may do as we please to inflict misery upon them. This female must be chained and suffer as her family has suffered for generation upon generation. The scroll of permission is somewhere ...it’s ah...”
The Guardian interrupted him, “Spare me excuses. My Lord rebukes you, Captain Faelor! Your cursing ceremony is canceled. I wear the insignia of Iam and carry the Scroll of Life embossed with this child’s name.” He held it as a banner. “She is the workmanship of the Glorious One. From before the Beginning, he chose this one to perform good works, which will establish and advance his kingdom, not yours! Her life will bring much honor to his son.”
“I don’t believe you told me your name, sir.” Lisping, the captain feigned polite compliance. “May I ask, to whom I am speaking? And why have you come to torment me and my Familiars?”
“I am Leahcim, who stands in the courts of the Glorious One. At his behest, I came to protect this child and proclaim the blessings of her family over her. My instructions are to defend her all the days of her life. In unity with Zadik and all Guardians here, we withstand you foul invaders. You know very well our authority is that of our King. Obedience must be immediate, for he rules over all kings and kingdoms, even your barren realm.”
“You overstep your bounds,” said the captain in his most sugary voice. His fumbling fingers poked around his cloak until he located the list of curses. With a gleeful flare, he pulled it from his pocket. “I hold the evidence the child is cursed. That gives me full command over this territory. Uncover her now, Zadik, move out of my way, Leahcim, and allow me to finish my work!”
~*~
“Bless this child and protect her, Glorious One. Bless her family. Let peace be in this house and love in their hearts forever and ever,” said Neleh. She placed the baby securely in the crux of her mother’s arm.
~*~
“I am not moved by you or your words, captain! I will bless this child and her family!” declared Leahcim. “The Glorious One honors this newborn’s generations who served him with their whole heart, and he honors Neleh, not you.”
With that, Captain Faelor’s eyes changed to a dark maroon, and the centers morphed into a menacing orange. Dirty black clouds of acrid hatred wafted from his head. The Familiars under the bed with him slithered to other areas of the room and merged into the shadows. They feared Faelor would tear them to pieces in mindless frustration. He had done so before.
Overwhelmed with blinding hatred, the captain didn’t know his cowardly troop members had abandoned him. He was too occupied hurling hexes at Leahcim. All the vicious black arrows which shot from his mouth bounced off the Guardian’s impervious breastplate.
“Captain, I repeat, I will not be moved. Your assaults are useless. Leave this place now,” demanded Leahcim.
The tenacity of Leahcim incensed Faelor. “By no means am I going to forfeit this prize. My assignment is to curse this child, and curse her I will. No Guardian can stop me.” He seethed between what teeth he still possessed. “I was once a Guardian and a far better one than you will ever be. I will not be defeated by you!”
Unblinking, Leahcim merely stared at the captain.
Oozing sickly yellow slime, Faelor stood. Bloated with outrage and enlarged with pride, he screamed at Leahcim. “I demand an audience between Prince Ev Ilone and the Glorious One!” He topped off his brash proposal by giving the bedstead leg another hard kick. It lurched, and the entire room shook with the force of his stubborn determination to win the argument. He yelled out again, “Did you not understand me, Guardian?” To emphasize his displeasure and disagreement, he took hold of his side of the bed, hoisted it up, and slammed it down.
~*~
At work, cleaning up around the bed, both Neleh and Rose felt the movement. They looked at each other, wondering what was going on. The young nurse, thinking there might be an earthquake, scooped up the infant and held her tightly in her arms. She shielded the child with her body, but nothing more moved. Neleh checked the bed to see if it was about to collapse. It was sturdy and strong, but it moved again. Vibrations from the vile rattling reverberated around the bedroom.
The hair on the back of Neleh’s neck stood on end. Under her breath, she said, “Ev Ilone and minions, you cannot have this child. I stand in for her and bring her to the Glorious One for divine intervention and refuge. Maker of all, for the sake of Iam, I ask that this house be cleared of all evil.”
Wide-eyed, Rose jumped when she felt the bed shake again. “Something weird is going on...”
~*~
Surprised by the captain’s rant, Leahcim blinked but held his ground. A fallen being having an audience with the Glorious One was unusual. That it was made for Ev Ilone and requested by a low-ranking Familiar was unheard of. Saying nothing, eyes locked on Faelor, he waited. After a moment, the ceiling glowed, and a spectacular winged Messenger entered the room. He held an iridescent document that bore the seal of Iam.
The captain gasped, pulled in his head, and dove back under the bed.
The Messenger smiled but didn’t speak. His smile infused the room with serenity. He handed Leahcim the rainbow-colored scroll, who then unrolled the parchment and read through it. “Captain Faelor, come out from under the bed,” said Leahcim.
Tentative, the captain poked out his head. The Guardian motioned for him to take the scroll. Wary of a trap, Faelor slowly sidled to the end of the bed. Using his left hand to shade his eyes from the Light, he moved close enough to read the missive. He paled, and his eyes cooled to a dull red when he realized his demands had been acknowledged. Cautious and swallowing hard, he took the glittering paper from Leahcim. When his bony fingers grasped it, the glitter faded, and the colorful parchment yellowed and cracked. Nonetheless, he gingerly rolled the document before he tucked it away.
Still keeping a watchful eye on the Guardians, he slipped out from under the bed and moved to the shelter of an antique wardrobe. From there, he called his Familiars to his side, but they did not respond. He could not see any of them in his peripheral vision. Realization he had stood alone against a host of Guardians made his legs tremble. “Dang troops deserted me,” he muttered. Head pulled into his shoulders, like a turtle might, he swiveled full circle to scan the room. Not seeing them, he glanced back toward the Guardians. Leahcim had not moved. The others now stood behind and on each side of the child and her mother. The nurses were also inside the ring of safety. A rose gold luminescent cloud began to form near the ceiling. It bathed the room with a radiant stream of security. Sparkling silver and gold Light encircled the four humans.
The captain shielded his eyes with his cape as the brilliance intensified. Sliding to the floor, he blended into the inkiest place next to the wardrobe. Leahcim leaned over and gestured with an outstretched thumb for him to leave. With a sheepish smirk, he tipped his head at the Guardian before he crawled away. Staying near the wall, he hissed out a directive, insisting his squad join him.
Reluctant to be exposed to the searing Light, the Familiars stayed put. They knew their captain would erupt if they continued to disobey him. Still, none of them came forward. The Light and the Guardians intimidated them more than their captain.
Mortified by their defiance, Faelor growled and stomped. Livid, he called for them again. In the corner of his eye, he saw activity. A Familiar made the mistake of shifting and revealed his position. The captain spun around. Wrath ran out of his eyes like hot lava. The Familiar couldn’t hold his ground against it. Regardless of the Light, he crept toward his leader. The rest of the Familiars soon followed. Moving from obscure spaces and cracks in the paneling and baseboards, they snaked down the walls and over the rugs. Faelor opened his cape to receive them. They huddled together for a moment while he whispered sharp commands. After receiving orders and sneaking a unified glance toward Leahcim, the Familiars left the cottage. Faelor had told them to head for the forest, and he would be right behind them.
Leahcim watched the wretched troop depart. The captain stood still for a second, staring at him, and then peeked at Neleh, who had taken the child from Rose. He moved backward as if to leave. Leahcim heard the child cry and turned away to check on her. Faelor dove into darkness next to a large chest. He made himself small and didn’t make a sound. The Guardians did not pursue him. So, you think I’m gone, Leahcim. Not until I take my revenge!
~*~
Feelings of apprehension plagued Neleh. The experience of the day had been so peculiar, but she felt better when Leahcim approached and said, “Do not be afraid. Iam is with you.” She set the infant next to her mother once again and walked toward the wardrobe and chest in search of a bed coat or shawl and a hairbrush. Mom was stirring. She wanted to be ready to aid her in grooming. Looking nice for husband and family was always a tonic for the women after the strain of labor. Uneasiness washed over her again when she walked by the captain. Muttering to herself, she expressed anxiousness over the babe and her parents. “I wonder if you have heard me, Glorious One. This family appears to be struggling. Something faithless and treacherous is here. I worry about them and this newborn’s future.”
Adept at reading behavior, the captain perceived more than concern in Neleh’s voice. He heard doubt laced with her anxious words. Doubt and worry combined gave him an opening to strike. Eyes darting between Neleh, Leahcim, and the Guardians, he kept track of every development waiting for the perfect time to pounce. “Strange no Guardians are watching over you, Neleh,” he mumbled. “You always have two of those brutes with you.” Their absence puzzled him, but that did not sway him from his scheme.
Neleh opened a drawer and bent over to grab the bed jacket she found. Determined to gain vengeance, the captain stood and raised his cape to continue the illusion of shadow. After a quick survey of the room, he leaped high into the air. On the way down, he rammed his foot hard into the back of Neleh’s head. She became dizzy and held the wardrobe drawer to keep from falling.
Out of nowhere, hot blue lightning bolts flashed, illuminated the room, and struck the captain to the floor. As he lay there smoldering, two huge Guardians—one taller than Leahcim and the other much heavier—thundered through the wall. The tall one, called Elia, gripped the stunned captain by the throat with his right arm and pinned him to the floor. The other, called Victorus, unsheathed his sword and held it to the captain’s belly. Elia’s russet brown arm rippled with supernatural power. Long, black curly hair glistened with golden flecks as it fell across his forehead. Face set like stone, he started to crush the captain’s neck, but Leahcim told him to stop.
“See to Neleh,” said Leahcim, “and let the captain go. He asked for a meeting between Ev Ilone and the Glorious One. Our King and Creator approved the entreaty.” Elia gave Leahcim and the other Guardians a questioning look. The Messenger nodded his agreement, as did Zadik and the others. Passionate reluctance wrinkled Elia’s face, but he let go of the captain. Unflinching, Victorus did not move. He had been with Neleh since her birth, and he was not about to let her attacker go. Leahcim said, “Victorus,” and paused.
Victorus pushed his shining red hair out of his eyes. With his other hand, he rotated his sword side to side, slow and steady, deeper and deeper into the captain’s midsection. The captain thought he would be stabbed straight through, but his assailant deftly pulled back his weapon and placed it in its silvery sheath.
Both Guardians turned toward Neleh. With tenderness, they inspected her for any injury. “Her armor held,” said Elia, “Shaken, but nothing harmed her.”
Rubbing the back of her neck, Neleh said, “It has been a long day. I think I need to rest.” She found her way to the rocking chair in the corner of the room and sat down with a sigh. Elia and Victorus stood on each side of her while she rocked.
Hands planted on her hips, Rose grinned at Neleh. “Long day and very odd but full of joy too. I think our job is almost done here.”
The new mother moaned and stirred. “She’s waking up,” said Neleh.
“Stay right there until you are better. I will tend to her.” Rose fetched the hairbrush and bed jacket before she helped the mom refresh herself. While her patient was brushing and putting up her hair, Rose began to clean the room.
Neleh recovered quickly and joined her in tidying up. Preparations for the newborn to meet her family, especially her father, were always an important part of the birth event.
~*~
Leahcim turned flaming eyes toward the captain. When Faelor noticed the Guardian looking his way, he slumped to the floor and scurried into blackness behind a door. From there, he left the cottage by wriggling through a narrow hole in the flooring. Dropping to the moist earth beneath, he disrupted beetles burrowing in the dirt. They ran every direction when Faelor’s noxious foulness came near them.
Sitting still for a moment, he held his breath, listening for sounds Guardians might make. It was quiet, so he dared investigate his surroundings. Perceiving nothing, he scooted toward a dark corner to recover. His body hurt. Lightning strikes and exposure to the brilliant Light had taken a toll on him. Settled in the pitch-dark corner under the house, he felt more secure. The sheer black of the atmosphere revived him. He still smarted from the wounds he sustained, but with each moment of musty dankness, the agony left him. Several minutes went by, and no Guardians were visible, so he slid out from under the house.
After an evaluation of the area, he decided to get to his feet and catch up with his fellows. Furtive and nervous, he darted into every shady spot along the way. When the last of the rosy-orange sunset dipped below the horizon, he headed for the woods outside of town.
~*~
It wasn’t likely to occur, but Leahcim wanted to be ready for another assault attempt. He inquired of the Glorious One. A moment later, a unit of Watchers sent by his son, Iam, burst on the scene and positioned themselves at every entry to the cottage. Nothing devilish would get past them.
It would take a day or so for word to reach the dark Prince, Ev Ilone, that the captain’s petition had been granted. Leahcim laughed to himself at the thought of the lowly captain of Familiars breaking the news to his superiors that Ev needed to appear before the Glorious One.
Turning his attention back toward the baby, he spoke words of encouragement over her. “In spite of the chains you bear, little one, you are a beautiful child. Those burdens will be removed in due time. It will be a difficult journey, but Zadik and I will be with you through it all.”
When he completed the blessing, he kissed Neleh on the top of her head and patted the mother and Rose. Summoned by the Glorious One, he left Zadik and the others to watch over the babe. Along with the Messenger, he vanished in a blink.
~*~
Neleh stood at the side of the bed, watching her protege nurture the infant. Rose was still honing her skills as a nurse and midwife. Under Neleh’s supervision, she was growing and learning. With gentle care, she cleansed, powdered, and re-wrapped the baby. The mother, also refreshed, took her daughter to her breast for the first time. Content, both relaxed. Delight radiated from the mother’s face.
Thanks be to the Glorious One for the new birth, Neleh thought. All confusion left her. Worries evaporated. She knew the Glorious One had heard her. “Peace has come,” she said to her young companion.
“Yes, they are doing well now,” said Rose.
“Indeed, they are! Let’s hope we never encounter a situation like this again.” Neleh looked toward the Golden Cloud and mouthed “thank you.” A knowing smile graced her lips.

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